


Beat The Clock

by TheShipDen



Series: Dog Days [6]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst, Badass Upgraded Connor | RK900, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Crying, F/F, Getting Together, Good Friend Tina Chen, Hurt Gavin Reed, M/M, Mental Breakdown, POV Upgraded Connor | RK900, Post-Break Up, Protective Tina Chen, Protective Upgraded Connor | RK900, Slow Burn, There's going to be like, Tina Chen & Gavin Reed Friendship, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Violence, Witch Upgraded Connor | RK900, Witches, a handful of fight scenes so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-03-29 15:32:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19022782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShipDen/pseuds/TheShipDen
Summary: How sweet it was to kiss his lips again, to feel the warmth soak through his clothes, to simplyhold himin his arms again. Niles fears his emotions and how they bubble up, how tears stream down his cheeks as he peppers more and more kisses any and everywhere he can."Gavin!" He smiles, "You're okay."





	1. Counting Down

**Author's Note:**

> warning;  
> blood mention v brief in the beginning and also pay attention to the tags incase the rating of this story goes up!!
> 
> it could vary for chapter to chapter

_**12:34AM** _

Niles stares down at Gavin and pushed the edge of his blade ever so gently into the familiar’s skin, the metal’s sharp enough to cut into the flesh fairly easy. Just as he feared a deep red-almost black like crimson beaded along the cut and trickled down. The witch tiredly sighs, swipes his finger over the wound and heals it before he continues to trace his fingers all over Gavin’s body. His eyes run to the opened book beside him and he reads another page from it. He takes his knife and cuts deeply across his palm, uses the pooling blood to write little sigils all along the familiar’s arms and chest. Niles makes sure he draws them neatly and perfectly in line.

When he’s finished he lightly bats his hand to the center of his work, right above Gavin’s heart, and recites the Latin he’s memorized. There’s a bright glow emitting from the symbols and shapes and Niles is forced to look away- when it died down however, his eyes re-glued back to where they were. 

The black veins still stayed, taunting him as they seared into Gavin’s skin. Niles bit his lip and hunched over.

He spent a long moment just holding onto his familiar. Shakily pressing his lips to Gavin’s temple and kissing his forehead, it was a moment of weakness.  
______________________________________

_**2:24AM** _

He’s about ready to throw the book across the room but stops and controls his temper. He doesn’t want a repeat of the last time things hadn’t gone right. And Gavin’s breathing pattern soothes most of his anger because the poor familiar is still sleeping beside him, soundly and so far undisturbed. It’s still therapeutic to comb his fingers through his love’s hair, as curly and unruly as it might be, just as calming as it was when Gavin and Niles were both relaxing on the couch in the afternoon. He misses that. 

He misses that a lot. So much so that his free hand clenchs tight and he’s feeling that anger wash right back over him. He’s so enraged at himself, spying the darkness etching itself across Gavin’s skin. 

The witch flexed his fingers and feels his magic boiling inside his palms, the tickling feeling of Amanda’s binding forcing it tight as he thunders silently with rage. Why couldn’t _something_ go right for fucking once?

He’s supposed to be better- perfect. He’s supposed to be smart and innovative and resourceful and all he’s doing is _failing._ Failing the people he loves, failing to abide by basic humane laws, failing his new coven and students at the shop. He’s stressed, he doesn’t know what to do and yet dreads doing what he knows he must. It’s overwhelming and for the first time in a long while; Niles is panicking. 

His breathing gets labored, his hands shake, he bunchs his own hair and tugs, watering eyes betraying him as tears fall to the unconscious familiar at his side. He’s having a meltdown and he knows it; bulbs break inside the bathroom, lamplights flicker on and off as he gives a wet hiccup. There’s an ice cold draft flowing in and making the curtains blow and Niles knows he needs to get ahold of himself, knows he should keep a better handle on his magic, but it’s all too much and his best just never seems to be enough. Never amounts to anything and he’s so upset with himself that he can’t believe he’s crying like a fool instead of focusing on what needs his attention. 

Finally, he hunkers down over Gavin- who doesn’t even respond to him at all. Completely dead to the world, and if it weren’t for his rising chest and warm skin, Niles would think he was dead. But Gavin used to react, used to shift closer or even give a subconscious sniff whenever Niles came to bed. Though now he did neither. The witch’s shoulders shake as he holds back his cries, losing his mind and kicking the useless spellbook off of the bed’s surface. 

It held no purpose.  
______________________________________

_**4:55AM** _

He’s laid there for hours, curled against Gavin’s side. His tears have long since dried and he just lays there, not bothered to move at all. The moon’s light shines squarely down on his familiar and Niles just spends his time being close to the one he loves. 

After all his stressing, his breakdown, the stinging migraine behind his eyes- he’s drained and exhausted and wants to sleep for years. He knows he can’t but the thought is nice. 

Sighing so heavy his soul might’ve just left him, Niles dares to wrap his arms around Gavin and snuzzle close. He needs this. Just for right now, just for one night, he has to have Gavin in his arms. 

Pressing a kiss to the familiar’s head, the witch settles down and shuts his eyes.  
______________________________________

**Bang. Bang. Bang.**

He wakes up to a loud thud. No, multiple thuds. Together in unison. They’re at his door but the force behind each pound makes it echo right into his bedroom and all throughout the house. Niles worries that it’ll wake Gavin up but one look at his unyielding expression has him thinking differently. There’s another flash of hurt inside his sternum and he finds himself sulking again, expecting it all to be some silly dream he had and Gavin would wake to soothe him. Only, this isn’t a dream. It’s real. 

It’s real and he wishes it wasn’t, wishes he had imagined it all, some grand illusion to humble him down. 

**Bang. Bang. Bang.**

He groans and gets up, his face feels gross with all the embarrassing sobbing he had done last night. He avoids the mirror at all costs and tries to straighten his bed head with a guiding hand. His own curls fall flatly against his forehead and Niles gives up trying to fix them after the third time. This morning sucks, this past week has sucked, and he’s about to lose all of his remaining patience and tolerance on whoever is behind that door. 

**Bang. Bang. Bang.**

Niles frowns, already making his steps audible as he stalks towards the front door. He doesn’t care that he’s slept in yesterday’s clothes, doesn’t mind that his turtleneck is wrinkled and so are his pants. His temper rises at the steady raping against his door and when his hands flies towards the knob to turn it open, he finds that it’s being equally forced into his shoulder as a face peers inside with a growl. 

“About fucking time!” An angry female voice snarls, pushing him the rest of the way out the doorway and welcoming herself inside. “Where the fuck is he!?”

“Excuse me?” Niles’ cold voice seems to make her bristle. He spots her nails morphing into claws at her sides, pupils dilating into slits as she bares her teeth and - fangs? Very sharp and thick canines start sprouting. 

“Gavin.” Is all she says and Niles is reminded of just _who_ is standing before him and why she has a reason to be this angry. “What did you do to him.”

For all Tina knew, he could’ve murdered Gavin or said something just as crude to send him away. She hasn’t seen him for three days or less, having known about their earlier argument and most likely having a very ill opinion of him at this time. Niles tries to reel in his displeasure and be as diplomatic as his twin- but he typically falls very short of that. 

“I haven’t done a thing to him.”

Without batting an eye, Tina growls again. She jabs him with a sharp nail in the center of his chest with a hissed, “ _Bull. Shit.”_ Then, she’s off. Head tilted up and lips parted in all the ways that remind him of Gavin and that tightness returns, his throat constricting. If she finds Gavin how he is, it’ll look simply terribly toxic on him. He doesn’t need those accusations or the added drama- yet it seems Tina doesn’t need any prompting from him. She seems to know where she’s going, expertly walking down the hallways and stopping right outside the bedroom door. 

Her brows are furrowed and nose scrunched and it just occurs to Niles that she can probably smell him. Most likely has the second she got within the block and it wouldn’t have done him any good to lie to her about her friend’s whereabouts. Gavin always mentioned how he could smell things from within the yard or outside the front door and he’ll be in the farthest possible place within the house. Tina, no doubt, would obviously be the same. He should have thought about that before blindly opening his door. Her expression is about murderous too, filled with so much disgust and bottled resentment that Niles almost doesn’t try to stop her. 

“What’re you doing?” He says in warning but gets ignored. Tina pushes open the bedroom door despite Niles shouting at her to back away and before he knows it he’s rushing to follow in behind her as she crowds inside the room. 

Her face twists into shock as she sees Gavin laying there, that blackness that’s been haunting Niles now tainting her own eyes too. His veins are so prominent against his olive complexion- which is starting to pale drastically now that he’s really looking. They’ve started to creep up his neck and dance across his jaw, some even spreading to his fingertips and Niles fears looking where else they might be. Tina stumbles blindly, almost looking like Niles himself had done her severe brain damage and unbalanced her permanently. Her hands shake as they come up, not daring to touch her friend but desperately wanting nothing more. 

He hears her breathing labor, sees the watery eyes dipping into a fury he’s never even seen on anyone before, and soon her claws are grabbing him by his throat and slamming him against the nearest wall. 

The girl bares her fully sharpened teeth, sets and sets of pointy pearly whites greet him with venom, and Niles forces himself not to defend himself against her raw aggression. _“What the fuck have you done to him!?”_

 _“I_ did not do this to him.” Niles remains stoic, fighting back the rising need to repulse her away or liquify her spine. “I ask that you unhand me.”

“I don’t believe you!” She snarls and rams his head into the wall, digging her claws into where she held onto him. The familiar’s face got dangerously close to his own which made him turn his head. “But let’s say you didn’t do this, for shits and giggles, _why_ is he still like this? Why are you letting him _rot?”_

He opens his mouth to answer, already having a silvered retort on his tongue but it dies down as he takes the time to fully process what she was accusing. _Rot._ Tina used rot, Gavin was rotting? Just what did that mean and how did she know? His gaze flickered over to his familiar; dark circles under his eyes screamed that he wasn’t getting any rest and yet that was all he did all day, having sickly skin and barely any response to outside stimuli. Was...Was Gavin _dying?_

“What are you talking about?” Is what he finds himself whispering instead, in clear disbelief because that’s absurd. Gavin couldn’t be _dying_ because Niles made sure to cut the spell off before it had the chance to take the familiar’s life. There couldn’t be any chance that very same spell was even still working to begin with, it’s caster was _dead._

Tina’s growling stopped, her eyes as livid and observative as an actual feline before her hands begrudgingly uncurled from around his neck. She must have sensed the truth on him- or however Gavin had explained it. Her jaw clenched as did her fists but she remained in the witch’s space. 

“I’m surprised even a normie like you can’t smell it. His body is rotting, that black? What else did you think it was?” Tina huffed and marched over to Gavin, each step growing lighter and lighter the closer she got to him. The girl took a knee and reached out, gently touching his cheek as he failed to stir at the touch. “I’m taking him back to Chloe’s.”

“You can’t do that.” He bites out hastily, going over to try and stop her as she grabs at Gavin’s arms and scoots him closer towards the edge. “Really, it’s not- “

“Watch me, asshole.” Tina quips and goes to left Gavin off of the mattress. The second his body begins to move and bend limply he’s gasping and thrashing, yelping loudly in clear pain and Niles is quick to get the girl off of him and right him back on the bed. 

The girl is startled, stunned with her hands frozen in the way that they held onto Gavin. He’s still whimpering and squirming, panting as agony washes over his nerves and Niles barely has the right sense to cast a spell to quiet him down and soothe the poor familiar. His heart squeezes unbearably tight and for a second he thinks he might need to lay down, but then his irritation is growing into a mountain and he cannot bear another distraction. 

“Gavin stays _here._ ” 

Tina’s expressions shifts to sorrow, claws shrinking back into her normal nails as does her pupils. She looks just as hurt as Niles feels, taking careful steps to the bed and staring at the labored breathing cycle her friend trudges through. It’s hard to watch and even harder to hear. 

“Fix him.” Her demand is spoken softly but holds the same fire as her earlier anger. 

He just looks over Gavin with her, feeling just as helpless, just as hopeless. “I’m trying, but I can’t without a certain spellbook.”

“He doesn’t have long.” Her voice wavers and his heart stops. “What book do you need?”

Niles swallows and suddenly feels as hollow as he had all those years ago under the control of another, brain empty and his will shattered. Just at the mere mention of those four words the female uttered. And he sat there wasting time like a fucking idiot. 

“The Black Grimoire. It’s- “

“I know what it is.” She cuts him off, eyes suddenly set ablaze when she finally directs them back to his own. He sees the determination inside them and envies it, tries to let it infect him and give him the energy to be nearly as prepared. “Chloe’s mentioned it before, where is it?”

“Markus has it. We have to steal it.” He tells her with a grimace, voice going soft towards the end. He doesn’t particularly like the idea of going behind the very person’s back who had given him his freedom back. It makes him feel icky and wicked, something he never thought he was and never hoped to be. “How long does Gavin have? What sort of time frame am I working with here?”

Tina’s shoulders dragged down as she leaned a little closer to Gavin, her hand brushing along his cheek that started to look bruised. Her mouth was set in a thin line and Niles tried to get ready to hear something that was most definitely going to be hard on his ears. 

“Tina?” He prompts, the tension inside the room thickening. 

“A few days.” 

Niles stares at her, mouth slightly agape before he whispers a curse and leans against a wall. He drags a hand down his face and breathes in deep, running his fingers through his own hair and pulling at the strands. A few days. Gavin was dying, his very minutes were being counted down and all Niles had done in the meantime was mope and fool around. He should’ve known better. He should’ve _known._

“I’m leaving tonight then.” He announces as he glares at his shoes. 

_If you had the capacity to understand such a simple sentence, you wouldn’t have to ask._

He couldn’t believe he uttered those words, why had he let his anger warp him so sharply? In the end, that statement seemed to fit more of him then it ever did Gavin. Who was always astute and tuned in to his surroundings, always checking for danger and alerting anyone to anything hazardous. Always right by his side whenever Niles needed him. The very same person who was lying on his bed and fighting for his very life in exchange for Niles to be walking painlessly. ‘

He really fucked up. 

“I’m going with.” Tina declares and startles him right out of his thoughts. 

His brows scrunch and he has to stare her down while he mutters a stern, “No.”

“Too bad, I wasn’t asking.” She meets his authoritative voice equally, squaring her shoulders in challenge. “I’m coming with.”

“No, you’re not.” And before she can even gather the breath to retort, he’s holding up a hand and interrupting. “If he gets worse and we’re both gone, who’s going to take care of him? It’s better if one of us stays, I’m going because Markus actually knows me.”

Her nose turns up at him. “And you think Markus doesn’t know me?”

Niles keeps her gaze as he delivers a cold, “If Markus knew you, then I would’ve known you. And yet, here we are.”

Her eyes scream murder and she says nothing more. The witch rises from the ground and goes over to collect his coat, he sees how she stands protective over Gavin as he approaches and he thinks she might not even let him have a goodbye. His brow raises, and he considers pleading with her before she moves away and exits the bedroom, giving him space. He never thought the exhale that escapes his lungs could feel as orgasmic. 

His eyes water without his consent as he stares down, letting his knuckles brush across Gavin’s own as he takes the familiar’s hand. It’s clammy and cold but Niles tries not to mind it even if it tears him to pieces inside. He leans down and steals a kiss, one bittersweet and chaste. Even his love’s lips are icy and chapped and it takes everything within him to draw back and walk away instead of crumpling right there. 

He’s on a timer. He can cry as much as he’d like later but now is not the time for emotions. 

As he nears the door, he pauses and glances over his shoulder. How much he wishes Gavin would just get up and laugh at him; loud and boisterous and call Niles names, telling him how silly he looked whenever he got scared, or how funky his aura got whenever he fell victim to Gavin’s mindless pranks. But this isn’t a joke, even if he prays for it to be, and he feels choked up. 

“I’ll be back, dear.” He says out loud despite knowing he’ll get nothing in reply. “Tina will keep you company while I’m away and when I get back, you’ll feel better. Wait for me.”

He makes his exit after waiting a beat, closing the door with a quiet click before heading towards the kitchen. He opens up his pantry and fills viles, portable jars, gathers little velvet bags and small bowls. If he’s going in there then he’s going to need to come prepared, especially if he’s going to be stealing from a Coven. A coven full of the supernatural with sensitive senses and a damn good defense. 

Niles can’t ask for the book and Markus can’t read the book.

At least, he thinks, he doesn’t have to kidnap a prophet. That is a much more difficult task with far too many consequences, and Niles would prefer not to go on such a sure-fire-suicide mission. Even just threatening a prophet unleashes the fury of heaven; an archangel on a warpath with your name on it. And Niles wouldn’t dream of fending off those assholes. Angels were nothing but unfeeling bastards that hide behind Gods’ supposed will to accomplish whatever sick and twisted goal it is they’re trying to reach. And it seems as if God hates him at the moment with the hand of cards he’s forced to play with, but he’s going to do it, going to try and bring home a victory. He’s just thankful it’s only Markus and not a divine being of the lord’s plan. 

As he ties another wrapping around the neck of his newest, and craftiest, hex bag he sees Tina coming his way. 

She’s less hostile with him, but there’s still a very heavy tension in the air. Niles knows better than to think he’s safe from her rage, feels it simmering just below her skin, and he does his best not to invoke it. 

“Chloe’s coming.” Her voice is cutthroat, leaves him no room to argue. “If anything happens here she and I will take care of it, and she’ll alert you.”

“How?” The familiar stalks closer to the counter and leans over to spy what he’s mixing inside a small bowl. A small brew that should be able to aid him if he needs it, Niles doesn’t plan on killing anyone. These people are his friends, his allies- the last thing he wanted to do was harm them. 

Quick as lightning, her fingers curl around his hair and she tugs. _Hard._

As he looks up with a hiss and bats her hand away, he’s met with a smug smirk. She looks satisfied and the epitome of pleased. The look reminds him of something Gavin would do. 

Niles misses him. 

“You’ll see if the time comes.”

“You could have asked me, you know.” He can’t help but to rib. 

“Oh, believe me, I know. And yet I didn’t, did I?” He hears the malice then and decides it’s not worth it to press her buttons. 

Niles takes another hour, mixing and crafting. He picks out his trench coat with the deepest pockets for obvious reasons and even greets Chloe as she arrives right when he finishes up. She brings her own things and takes his station inside the kitchen, throwing her own herbs and elixirs inside a bowl to crunch bones among other things inside. He watches Tina slide her arms around Chloe’s small waist and plant a loving kiss to her bare shoulder before she gets to claim her girlfriend’s lips and Niles, once more, finds himself engrossed in jealousy. How much he wants that makes his muscles tense. 

He looks away however whenever they break apart, whisper to each other, and then Tina walks off towards the bedrooms. Chloe returns to her task at hand and just when Niles heads for the front door, she speaks up and stops him. 

“Are you sure stealing the book won’t just create more problems?”

His outstretched hand balls and he drops his arm to his sides. The witch reminds himself to breath evenly and not lash out. She’s being sensible, normally that would be his job, but as of late it seems more and more out of character for him to be so stoic. 

“It’s the only solution we have.” He bites back harsh despite his best efforts. 

Chloe doesn’t bat an eye, just keeps stirring after she enchants the items inside the bowl. “Why not ask the High Priest? Things like this are his job.”

“He stopped being qualified for the position when he left and let _her_ take over.”

She looks up then, eyes brimming with pity and sorrow, and it makes him want to throw up. Niles doesn’t want the sympathy, he wants to leave. “She was different before taking charge, something changed her. We think it was the demon tab-”

“I don’t _care_ what happened, he knew what was going on and he let her parade around for centuries! He let her keep me and my brother as _dogs!_ Besides, there’s nothing he knows that I don’t- or can’t- find out.”

Vibrating with his fury, he throws open the door. “Niles please. Don’t let your emotions control you! Elijah translated the Book of the Damned, he even shared a few spells with the community, there are things he-”

“He would’ve let her take Heaven and Hell before he even dared lift a finger! With all that he knew and saw, he could’ve prevented her from doing half of what she did. She enslaved an entire generation as he sat back and watched.” Chloe’s mouth quivers as he yells and Niles simply cannot reel in his rage enough to feel bad for causing it. 

She even still looks like she wants to say more but the witch is cemented on beating her to the last word. 

“He’s corrupt and I won’t be putting any of my trust in him. I’ll be back shortly, keep Gavin well.” And then Niles walks. 

He exits the house and slams the door hard enough to shake it’s frame. He’s scowling as he walks down the streets and turns around corners but he has to try and get as level of a head as he can. Gavin doesn’t have that much time left and he cannot waste any more. He’s going to be successful, he has to be. There is no room for mistakes. 

Niles takes in a deep, deep breath and closes his eyes. 

When he opens them next, he’s standing outside of the Jericho Grand Coven.


	2. Time Is Short

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For a moment, everything is calm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:!!!**  
>  Mentions of self mutilation towards the end for a spell! If you can’t handle that, skip it!

Sparks dance across his knuckles as he attempts to tame his magic, his anxiety inflaming them as it pumps throughout his body. He’s nervous but he has to not show any molecule aside from calm. Everything’s riding on him to succeed and he utterly refuses to fail. The witch rolls his shoulders back, inhaled and exhaled routinely, before he steps forward. The pressure is unreal and he cannot even afford to entertain the thought of giving into the stress. He tries not to dwell on the pit growing inside his chest and instead shifts his focus towards other things. 

On cue the doors open by themselves, enchanted with so many different elements of contrasting magic Niles is surprised that it managed to work fluently. Just goes to show the power of Jericho, he guessed.

He walks inside with his heart thundering and his powers drumming in his ears. He knows he’s welcome with the way the sigils on the walls surrounding him burn themselves out without him having to do it himself, alerting the caster to his sudden appearance and for a greeting. He isn’t sure who’s going to greet him first and he isn’t positive on who he’d prefer it to be. 

North, a familiar who’s animalistic form resembles more of a tiger than anything else, and Simon who’s much more of a passive vampire that feeds more on rodents and other small creatures rather than people. They’re both massive sweethearts in their own regards, one less trusting than the other, but the comfort and care they offer is unexplainable. Josh, who’s wolf form is much bigger than your average werewolf and finally Markus- the student Witch who’s managed to change the supernatural world. Each of them coming with their own venom, each with different levels of astuteness and acuity. He hopes they don’t all come to meet him together because then his task would get significantly harder and Niles is positive he doesn’t have the patience nor time to manage so many new problems. 

Sneaking a hex or muttering a spell around another witch is just a hassle. Especially surrounded by people with hypersensitive reflexes and senses. He’d much rather take them out one by one- _as dirty as that sounds._

Thankfully he sees red hair before anything else followed up by a pleasantly sharp grin backed by an inviting hug that wraps him up. He makes sure he’s cloaked his emotions well, activating a charmed bracelet around his wrist to better conceal his underlying deceit. While he has her close, he also slips a hex bag into her back pocket. 

“Niles!” She breathes happily, knocking him in the shoulder with a little once over. “Still working with the all-black-stereotype, aye?” 

“I figured that I-”

“No, no! It’s cool, keep rockin’ it till it stops working for ya.” North rested on the balls of her heels and he sees the hard look in her eyes. Most likely trying to read him and being confused as to why she’s drawing blanks. Though he has to be careful it doesn’t come off as suspicious. “What brings you to Jericho?”

“I haven’t stopped by in a while.” Niles smoothly lies, yet almost panicked as a concerned look twists her features into something pitying. He bristled. 

“Markus is doing everything he can, but with the added meetings and the debate on the hunters- not to mention regular humans...he’s all over the place.” Her hand, styled and manicured, came to rest on his bicep and squeezed in comfort. 

Oh. North believed this was about his- _oh._

He could work with that. 

The witch appeared, what he hoped to be, a slight look of crushed hope mixed with understanding. When her palms passed over his shoulders and rubbed in reassurance with pleading eyes, he believed he had played his part well enough. He absolutely despised tricking her and is sickened by how easy it is. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s to be expected, Markus is a busy man with a lot resting on his shoulders.” He also hates that his words are accepted so easily, lying right to her face like this just felt incriminating and nasty. Especially when she gave a big sigh and leaned her head against his frame. She trusted him and her trust was by no means easy to come by, he’s abusing it. 

It just feels so _wrong._

“You have no clue.” North sounds frustrated, looks it too with her puppy eyes turning sharp and golden in a half morph. Gavin’s had done the same before. “Hunters and Humans aren’t making anything easy. And they just don’t even try to be civil!”

“Where is Markus, by the way?” He hopes that sounds as nonchalant as he attempts for it to come out as. Judging by her shrug, it was another passing attempt. 

“Out with Josh. They’re supposed to be reaching out to a nest of ghouls just outside of Ohio, been targeted by a few hunters. We want to evacuate them and merge them with the Coven- if they’ll join, that is. Awfully stubborn bunch.”

He agrees with a silent nod of his head, walking along the opened space of the meeting hall before entering the grand hall. It’s decked out with beautiful portraits and paintings- all originals, gifted to Markus by his mentor and father figure, and a few admiring doters contributing. The decor around the place is centered around lovely shades of pastels with lots of gold drizzled in just to make the place feel inviting and secure. There’s no doubting where each members’ stylistic choice did what; modern minimalist things to fill up space, a few brandished weapon cabinets on display, bookshelves lined with nick knacks and paper books, chewed up toys and brushes littering the floor. A few empty bowls here and there, birds singing merrily inside cages. It was a lot going on at once, yet it never clashed. 

 

It felt like a home. 

 

And once more Niles found himself respecting this new coven a little more because despite their many, _many_ differences they always find a way to make things work. To make things go in their favor. Perhaps, with luck and some time, he could get some of that success as his own. 

He walks into, what appears to be, a living room of sorts. Maybe that’s the wrong word for it, maybe a common room is better, but either way Niles finds himself stepping into a melting pot of all kinds of monsters. He senses witches and spots other families, can pick out the differences between beasts and vampires, ghouls to gorgons- which are all human except for the eyes. There’s even a few demons among the bunch, he’s forever grateful angels aren’t here. Those stuck up bastards would make things even more complicated. He found an awol reaper, which surprised him more than anything, and even a golem. Jericho didn’t seem shy about its recruits and Niles feared being at the brute end of this army if it was ever unleashed upon him.

Which it might be after today was done with. 

His hands flew to his pockets and curled around his vials. He must’ve been staring too hard because North paused and followed his line of sight. 

“Luther might be a reaper, but he wouldn’t take a single soul.” She spoke it softly, history laced in every word and Niles decided he didn’t want to ask. 

“I believe you.” His head tilts as he surveys the room. Every single one of these monsters posed as a major threat to him. He needs a way to distract them or sedate them long enough. 

Suddenly, he’s thinking he’s gotten way over his head but the witch can’t afford to slow down now. There’s too much at stake. He thinks he has a plan, a few sigils near the doors should do the trick and keep everyone trapped. But they’d be restless and tell on his treachery, Niles just needs a way to safely knock everyone out. He’d do this without taking a life- these were his friends, his fellow outcasts. There’s no way he’d stoop down to a human’s level and slaughter his own kind. At least, never _again._

“He came here with a Djin woman and a human girl, apparently they’ve been through the worst of it.” Her tone softens, hushed too, and Niles thinks he could label it as a protective weakness inside of North that makes her melt at the story. 

“Just how bad are the hunters getting for a reaper to intervene?” 

She stands straight up again, doesn’t even try to look him in the eye as she walks under a split staircase that branches into two and curves towards the top. Disappearing inside a doorway. “Bad,” Is the whispering response he gets. 

Silently cursing, he lengthens his strides to follow after her. 

They enter a little sideroom, and Niles knows exactly what this room is. He remembers waking up inside of it, where Markus had originally broken him out of his bindings and taken off the curses and hexes holding him as a slave to Amanda. He feels disgusting for what he’s about to do, now that him and North are alone, but he has to. And maybe when it’s all over he can explain and make it up to them, maybe they’d understand. 

“I know a lot of attention isn’t your cup of tea,” North begins. Niles’ heart clenches, stutters as guilt eats away at him. He hates what he’s about to do more than anything, especially when his friend looked up at him with warmth and pure trust. 

_Trust he’s about to break._

“I must admit, there’s a reason beyond Markus that I’m here.” He starts and fidgets, for once an honesty in his entire facade. 

North grows concerned and sits on a plush loveseat, patting the space beside her in invitation. He remembers her doing the same thing when he first came to his senses all those decades ago. How she calmed him down and rivaled his sharp comments and brazen spells with an unshakable force. He still looks up to her, so sitting down beside her makes him swallow tight. His nerves etching themselves against his magic which hammers inside his ears- eager to escape by any means possible. 

“Niles, is there something wrong?” Her hand goes to his shoulder to steady his shuddering breath. He knows it’s now or never. 

With regret, Niles raises his shaking hands and cups her cheeks. She looks so lost and confused as her eyes meet his own. They’re back to their chocolatey puddle of silent pleas, holding in her mounting worries the longer he stays quiet and unmoving. 

He leaned his forehead against hers and uses his grip to keep her in place, “ _Mentem tuam ac valuntatem adsumo.”_

The only thing North has time to do when she realizes his deceit is gasp softly before the surprised expression morphs into indifference, her eyes going void of all emotions and her earlier attitude disappearing within an instant. His hands drop as she doesn’t even bat an eyelash at him, sitting perfectly straight, not uttering a word. 

It reminds him too much of Amanda, and with terrifying certainty he feels something radiate and pulse within his being. Niles feels like he’s going to end up getting sick with how nauseous everything is making him feel and he clutches his stomach. Beside him North just stares dead ahead, nothing changing about her demeanor, no insistence to help- nothing. 

He needs to work fast, if he knows North than he’s not working with a lot of time. Her will is strong, even if he sucked it out of her it’d only come back and that much stronger. Brushing off his clothes as he stands, Niles leans down to whisper to her, needing to get something off his chest before it threatened to crush his ribs. 

“I do apologize, truly. This was never my intention, but you _must_ understand that I cannot let Gavin die.” For the first time, his pleading expression seems as genuine as ever. He owes Gavin a lot; for teaching him how to express, for making him feel things and have wants. It’s being an entirely different person, the person he was denied by being under Amanda’s control. He loves it and yet finds it quite bothersome and in the moment he isn’t sure which it is. 

North’s cold eyes do nothing to regard him. She sits patiently and does nothing, which was expected but the hurt that panged throughout him was hard to take. The witch collects himself and pushes onward, walking out the door and locking it with a flick of his wrist. 

He heads upstairs, avoiding as many faces as he could before he dips into what appears to be the storage units. He ignores the majority of its contents and searches for paint or anything to make his sigil. He pockets what he can and what he might find useful if things go rocky and makes his exit. Niles is quick to rush towards the book room and he paints as fast as his hands would allow, making sloppy lines and wobbly slashes, racking his brain to remember every little detail in crisp acuity. He really only needs one, but draws several in any spot he can, hidden away either under objects or behind places nobody would even think to look. The longer everyone can stay trapped inside the better. It’s a slow going process as he retraces each line, making sure it’s thoroughly coated so no single monster can leave the coven and he waits with bated breath as it dries. 

Niles is only grateful he knows this sigil in the moment when it’s existence is vital. A Celtic monster trapping spell that’s quite annoying when on the receiving end- his grimace is short lived, however as footsteps dance up and down the hall outside of the room he’s locked in. The witch panics, wishing more than once tonight if only he had Gavin’s oversensitive hearing. He could’ve had a heads up, could’ve had some type of warning or indication and covered the evidence of his betrayal. His hands ball into tight fists when the doorknob is rattled and he immediately steps closer to try and shield the drying marks on the walls and floor but his eyes fall onto the small, lost little girl looking right up at him as the door swings open.

She blinks and he isn’t sure whether to deem her a threat or dismiss her. 

“Have you seen my mom?” The little girl asks, her eyes straying to glance around the room. “What are all those for, Mister?”

Niles looks around outside to make sure no one else is near before he beckons her inside. “Wardings to protect against things that wish us harm.”

“Are you a witch?” Her ponytail whips around as the girl makes a puzzled face at the many pictures he’s drawn. “Kara and Luther never showed me these before.”

Silently panicking, he gives her a small smile. “Yes, I am a witch. I’m Niles, Kara must be your mother, right? What’s your name?”

Niles holds his hand out for her to take, which she does easily enough. His next smile is sad as she answers timidly, “Alice.”

“ _Somnia._ ” He enchants and catches her as her body goes limp right as he finishes speaking. 

Alice is light as he picks her up and carries her over towards a cushioned chair, he images it’s meant to be comfortable for long periods of reading and gently sets her down into it. He hopes she won’t remember this, and to clean some of his conscious, he slips another hex bag into her pocket and activates it.

His feet feel unsteady as he moves around the room to cover the now dried symbols, out of all his years he’s never _ever_ casted a spell on a child and it makes a devastatingly rotten feeling wash over him. This was his home for a short time, a place where he felt safe staying at and here he was ruining it. Casting spells and enchanting people who came here for an _escape._ Niles fought hard to squander any thoughts of Amanda, memories of how familiar this felt, instances where he’d done much worse then use a sleep spell. 

His knees feel unreliable as he steps outside the study, fighting hard to appear calm and stoic as usual. Inside he’s freaking out and his panic only rises as he wanders the grand intricate hallways and structure searching for Markus’ office. At one particular point he runs into the reaper named Luther with the Djin Kara tucked into his side, they seem happy yet he can tell their eyes are scanning the crowd. Searching with hidden worry. Burning guilt eats him from the inside out and his magic bubbles hot inside his veins, Niles thinks he’s going to be sick by the end of all this. 

He makes sure his steps are practiced and precise as he enters the common room again, clutching tightly to the spare paint he’s taking with him. The witch walks towards the less populated part of the house, going towards a corner and sending anyone a treacherous glare if they so much as glance at him, he carries on with his business. There’s a sinking feeling buzzing inside his mind and he feels like it’s stilling his hands as he’s redrawing the sigil. Niles stops multiple times but the thought of Gavin gasping and wheezing again, crying out in agony as that dark black poison slowly kills him. Spying how he never responds to anything; Niles running his hands through Gavin’s hair, Niles trailing his fingers all over his skin, Niles pleading, begging, and crying for Gavin to do _anything._ To just move and talk and wake up. 

It supplies the courage he needs and gets him flying through his previously slow pace. The witch is sliding past people with gently murmured excuses and barely polite clippings. Niles paints a few more trapping symbols and makes sure to hide them well before he takes back to looking for the Grimoire.

The witch finds himself lost for breath all of a sudden, his hand flying to cover his mouth as his body racks with a hearty cough. Some hard lump is stuck inside his throat, and as he hacks up his lungs, something reaches inside his mouth. His brows furrow as he plucks a _piece of fucking paper_ out from his teeth. He looks over his shoulder and debates on the origins.

As a means to escape, Niles rushes into a room at the far end of the hall with a regular wooden door that barely has any decor to it. 

As soon as the lock clicks into place, he opens up the paper that’s strangely folded. 

**_Hurry._ **   
**_-Chole_ **

His anxiety rockets from reading those few words, picturing the worst. Niles remembers blood pouring from Gavin’s nose and split lips from their first fight together, had perfectly recalled how blood welled up from out his ears and doubled that terrifying experience with the cursed spell killing him. He wants to lash out, feels his anger boil over. He hasn’t located the fucking book and he’s already sworn he’d make things better. He’s fucking it up, he’s fucking- he needs to, if he could _just-_

As Niles looks up, fists balled and ready to throw, he takes in where exactly he is. 

Judging by the books and scattered brushes that looked either washed or crusted over by paint, he thinks he can just about pass out with relief. 

Markus’ study. 

And when his eyes rake over the desk, covered in countless papers with endless writing on them, he spots it. 

The Black Grimoire. 

Feeling invigorated, Niles grabs the book and stuffs it inside his inner pockets inside his coat. They’re doubled padded and thick, hidden underneath the swell of his chest and the lapels around his neck. Renewed energy flows through him like a river and he’s so close to sprinting out the goddamn doors but knows that would just tip everyone off to what he just did. He has to put all his attention on walking evenly and appear bored, Niles channels everything within him to take things slow and not rush outside. He would greet North and have her lead him back but the spell and hex keeping her in place wouldn’t call for it- at least, not until broken. He makes sure to keep his head ducked down as he passes a few monsters on the stairs. He’s about to make it to the double doors, hand already reaching out, fingers just a tad shy of brushing against the smooth metal but a gentle voice has him stilling- and grimacing. 

“Niles! How good to see you!” Simon calls a little ways off, politely excusing himself as he approaches. Niles curses silently under his breath. 

“What a pleasure,” He mumbles offhandedly. Hands moving to rest at his sides. He prays the vampire doesn’t pick up too heavily on his racing heart but knows that it’s mostly pointless to wish for anything of the sort around a blood sucker. 

“Are you alright?” His blue eyes twinkle in worry, the nice oceans dazzlingly sweet. Niles almost chokes, pressure making his magic roar to life and twitch his hands. “I’m sorry but Markus isn’t here right now. But North and I are, I’ll go find her and maybe we can help you with whatever is worrying you?”

“No, No! That- ,” He pauses and lets his voice return to it’s neutrality. “That’s unnecessary. North and I already talked.”

“Oh? Where is she? I haven’t seen her in a bit and it’s unlike her to just leave guests unattended.” His eyes flickered to the crowd, Niles froze up for a moment searching for a feasible lie that wouldn’t incriminate himself. 

“She had an issue to deal with, I suppose it’s hard to be a leader with so many people to look out for. And she seemed very worried about Markus, mostly likely checking in on him as well.”

“Oh! Thank you.” The brightly beaming smile thrown his way only did things to further upset his stomach. Simon had only ever been nothing but kind to Niles, even when he was a mindless puppet of destruction- what ever warranted such a nice soul such distrust?

“I’m sorry but I have to make my exit, I have company waiting for me at the house.” That much wasn’t a lie and he almost melted against the wall when Simon appeared almost sheepish and let him go.

“Come visit whenever you’re free, you’re always welcomed here Niles.” The blond gave another heartwarming grin before he closed the door after the witch. 

With a newfound sense of excitement, Niles walks down the long driveway and counts his breaths. He makes it to the mailbox after a few passing minutes and then closes his eyes, sucking in a big inhale and finally letting the tight grip he held over his magic go. The thundering feeling shakes his spine and he’s shuddering, feeling a glimpse of his old self again before invisible locks and chains clamp around him. The binding sears him as if someone held white hot iron against his skin. When he opens his eyes again, he’s on the doorstep of his house. 

He runs inside, not caring how the door slams shut behind him already racing towards the bedroom he left Gavin in. 

Tina’s holding Gavin’s hand, which is swarmed in black lines- appearing more like snakes and tiny cracks in glass then anything else. The disease has definitely spread, the progression only growing nastier the more time Niles had spent away from him. He whips his head to Chloe who’s set up a table.

There’s a bowl in the middle of a lot of candles, leaves and other herbs sprinkled around what appears to be a little white doll. It’s floating in what looks like a mixture of blood and some sort of brew, and he watches Chloe pepper in petals of a carnation; _Strength, Healing, Protection._

“What happened?” He hisses through his teeth, resting his hand atop Gavin’s chest and growing disheartened by the barely-there-heartbeat and shallow breathing. 

“He doesn’t have much time left.” Chloe answers with her own snap, palms glowing white as she fusses over the concoction she’s pouring herself into. 

“Did you get the book!?” Tina shouts, looking as stressed as they all feel. 

He nods, eyes trained on the pained expression Gavin’s making. 

“Then fucking fix this!”

He scrambles to pull the book out of his hidden pockets, flipping through the pages until he lands on the spell he needs. And he runs out the room reading over the spell in his haste and grabbing things as he passes by, he decides to set up shop inside his kitchen since it’s the closest and has majority of his witchcraft contents. 

He draws the elaborate symbol as big as he can, rushes yet somehow manages to be careful enough to not mess it up. Making perfect circles and crossing lines, doodling the runes in their proper places and fetching the candles as quickly as humanly possible. With a snap of his fingers, they’re lit and ready to be used and he jumps right into the middle of his sigil. 

He holds the book inside his left hand and raises a dagger inside the other, magic bouncing inside his skull and around his palms as if a ticking time bomb. The moment of truth, the moment he’s craved since the beginning of his enslavement, the little minutes he’s dreamed off whenever he found himself able to think freely again. It’s a shame he can’t enjoy it, that it has to be for other purposes aside from him- yet when he hears a pained cry and a loud shout to _hurry_ does he make the mental note to mourn over later. 

_“Ego sum filia naturae. Cum osculatione lunae. Da mihi vocem liberatem. Remitte vim meam. Fiem invicta.”_

Niles raises the blade to his neck, pushing the tip of it just shy of his skin. Not enough to break it but enough for him to feel it.

_“Ego sum filia naturae. Cum osculatione lunae. Da mihi vocem liberatem. Remitte vim meam. Fiem invicta.”_

As he shudders the last word, he lets the sharpened metal pierce his skin and cut as he slides it down against his throat. He can feel his flesh split in two as blood wells up along the cut before it begins to glow- he blinks away tears of crimson as more blood trickles down his cheeks. Some pours from his nose as the glowing light from his wound floats into the air, dancing around him until it morphs into chains and bindings all around his body. It’s around his wrists, shoulders, legs, waist, and as the blood continues to flood down his face he hears the breaking of metal. He watches as he shudders and pants as the chains etched into his being break off of him one by one, there’s a strong wind blowing things off of counters and knocking items off the walls. 

He feels a laugh bubble out his chest, hysterical and boisterous but broken and choppy as he struggles to catch his breath. The feeling is...overwhelming, for lack of a better word.

It’s exhilarating, he feels powerful, invincible, unstoppable as magic unlike any other flows right through him in heavy bursts. With each chain broken, it’s another flood gate opened to him and he’s reveling in the control and utter raw power he has. As the last one snaps itself Niles feels his head reeling and his body feels as if it’s been wrung through too many orgasms, riding that high for as long as he could. The pressure isn’t there, the stress, anxiety and nerves, none of it. 

The wind blows out the candles leaving him in darkness as he pants there, recovering from such a feat as that. His eyes chime a radiant, royal purple and the light catches on the widened floor, highlighting its plain surface. 

For a moment, everything is calm.

For a moment, Niles forgets about the stress of the day and the position he has to uphold- his responsibilities seem so foreign and distant as he heals his injury and stands up. 

The witch rolls his shoulders, relaxed and completely unbothered for a moment. 

Then, all hell breaks loose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Mentem tuam ac valuntatem adsumo;_ Your mind is under my control (very roughly translated)  
>  _Somnia:_ Sleep.  
>  _Ego sum filia naturae. Cum osculatione lunae. Da mihi vocem liberatem. Remitte vim meam. Fiem invicta.:_ I am the daughter of nature. By Moon's kiss. Give my voice freedom. Look away from my soul. I will be invincible.
> 
> Originally this was gonna just be 2 chapters but things ended up getting kinda long so,,,I broke it up again,,,
> 
> Hopefully everything’s not disappointing! And everyone likes our new monster friends!
> 
> Let me know your thoughts, opinions, theories, or whatever! <3


	3. End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And maybe he could live with himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning!!**  
>  Fighting,,,, like a LOT of fighting and there is blood as well as descriptions of injuries

Tina rushes outside the room, her canines pointed and sharp under her distress. Her claws poke out as she grips the doorframe. 

“Are you fuckin’ done!?” She half shouts with a rumbling growl. 

“Coming,” is all he manages to say before it happens. 

The door’s broken down, bodies appear from thin air- teleportation and something else most likely the root cause. Someone else’s magic is his guess and leading them is North and Simon, who seem as displeased and angry as they should be, but the hurt and betrayal clear in their eyes makes him wince. He’s about to say something when a familiar figure differentiates itself from the small group of monsters that have confronted him. Luther, with his mountainous bulk and stern expression, stands next to them and Niles notes with clear certainty that his fists are balled and shaking. 

“The book, Niles.” North spoke curtly, holding out her clawed hand. 

He just shakes his head and sends them a sad head tilt, “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Her lips purse and Simon looks full of regret, her outstretched hand falls to her side and she doesn’t meet his eyes. “Very well.” Is her whispered reply before she morphs into her animal form. 

Her shoulders are wide and her jaw is full of sharpened teeth built to tear flesh apart. Her eyes shine with golden interest as deep auburn fur gets peppered with blackened stripes and the white of her paws part as her claws fully extend to greet him. His eyes flicker to Simon to find that his fangs have indeed come out of their sheath too, his nails pointed and long as he tensed. Behind them the rest of the monsters have readied themselves, all glistening teeth, claws, and poison. North braces herself by Simon and Luther just stares impassively towards him- it’s the calm in his expression that unnerves the witch. 

As soon as Simon parts his mouth in a roaring hiss, the battle cry of the other monsters joining in as they lunge for him, does he act. Niles throws a hex bag to the floor and ignites the charm inside, everyone’s held in place for a few thunder-some minutes. 

He sends a sharp glare at Luther, “If you move or even so much as use your power I will burn you were you stand.” 

“There’s barely anything that can hurt me.” Luther responds unbothered, and Niles sees how he’s slowly leaning forward. His gaze gardens further. 

_”Mors,”_ He hissed through his teeth and the reaper pauses. His brows furrowed and he seems to back off, feeling the beginnings of the spell that Niles didn’t finish. He wasn’t planning on killing anyone, yet he needed to do all that he could to save Gavin’s life and if that included killing this reaper then….

Well, so be it. 

Tina stood ready at the door, watching and twitching. She even morphed at the site of such a crowd and Niles watched as Chloe slammed the door closed and enchanted it. It felt similar to fighting with Gavin like this, having someone side by side with him as he goes toe to toe with enemies. Except, it’s not Gavin. Gavin’s stuck in bed fighting for his life as Niles deals with the newfound problem. Why couldn’t things just go _right!?_

In the blink of an eye, the hex bag bursts into flames and everyone that was encased within it’s curse regained their movement. A few of them charged at the witch while others seem to pause and take a moment to work out the kinks of their entrapment. At least four were gunning up on him from all sides, North coming from the front with what appeared to be a Ghoul and another Werewolf on his sides. 

Niles frowns, throwing his hands out with his palms opened. He just needed to get to Gavin- that was all. He could do that. _”Defendatur!”_

As soon as he utters the Latin, North and her attackers are flung across the room and hit the walls with a sickening crack. There’s little splits in the plaster, scattering and climbing up as far as they could while pieces and chips pop off and sprinkle down. He feels his magic rushing through him; as strong as a sea’s wave during a hurricane, lapping with copious forces at a ship’s haul and dragging it down to the icy blue bottom. He can feel his eyes ignite and shine, they’re purple enchantment locker onto his victims, he even watches their faces fall and twist in concern or confusion.

Before they can charge him again, he holds up two fingers and swoops them to the side. _”Permitte telum.”_

His smirk is plain as day as fangs, claws, and glowing eyes shift and transform back into their more human counterparts. Even North is standing perplexed as her now human body tenses up and prepares itself for a stinging blow. He has to win this fight by any means, absolutely can not afford to lose. 

_“Manete.”_

“You used the book for your powers.” North snarls, baring her teeth and it reminds him so much of Gavin that his heart stutters and he’s consumed with urgency. 

“No, you don’t understand.” His voice rises with his distress and sudden anger, summoned by the weaning time he knows he barely has left. “I need the book!”

“Are you really jeopardizing everyone’s safety for more power!?” She yells and the venom laced into every accusation stings. 

“This isn’t about me, North!” His fists clenched and he has to resist using the thunder that’s roaring up and down his spine. It’s too tempting- it’s _Amanda._ Coaxing him into devious deeds and compelling him to lash out with all the rage and torment plaguing his mind. 

“It doesn’t look like it,” Simon cuts in. His eyes glaze over in determination and stubbornness. Niles would admire it if it wasn’t so down right troublesome right now. And just annoying. 

“I’m not- “

“Niles.” Tina calls irked. 

“Right. Right.” His hand drags down his face and he flicks his wrist, _”Hal. Muth fah. Hal muth fah.”_ A simple binding spell would do for now, he just had to be careful on how he split his attention. If he weakened his hold over the enraged monsters, then surely, there’d be endless blood to spill.

“Chloe!” He screams and knocks lightly on the door, “What’s happening in there?”

There’s sounds of a scuffle and something being thrown to the floor, he and Tina exchange looks before she starts pounding at the door. “Baby? Babe open up! It’s me!” 

There isn’t a response for a long time and Niles sees how terrified Tina grows the longer the silence stretches on, her nails clawing at the door’s lock and ripping up the wood. She looks like she’d take the entire wall down if Chloe doesn’t utter a word soon. 

“Chloe, honey, tell me you’re okay! Let me in!”

Niles puts a hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her out the way. She looks ready to throw a punch his way but he only shushes her and puts his arm up. He can work around the spell keeping the door sealed shut, it’s intricate and complex but not unbreakable. He’s working out the pulsing strength of it before it completely vanishes from underneath his fingertips. The door opens with a silent click and not for the first time, Niles can sense dread and horror on the other side. 

Tina doesn’t seem to notice as she rushes inside and Niles curses before he follows after her. Whatever awaits in there is something she cannot face alone.

Tina is blasted within moments and then pinned down by someone with a dark complexion, while Niles feels iron cuffs clamp his wrists together while his eyes stayed train on her form. Out from the darker corners of the room steps Markus. His face is set in stone and cold, Chloe sits beside the bed dressed in her own restraints while Josh struggles to contain Tina and her echoing snarls. 

“Niles, I didn’t want this.” Markus begins, his mismatched eyes glistening with resentment and something stern. “And I don’t wish to fight with you.”

The witch can feel his heart race inside these chains, anxiety floundering inside his mind as he remembers the centuries of years he spent locked up and trapped inside his own head. It was gruesome and left him in pieces for many, many decades- and to be _confound_ again was a fate worse than dying mutilated and alone and forgotten. Worse then anything he could think up.

“Give me the book.” Markus speaks in a final warning.

“I can’t do that.” Is his even response, calmness floating above all the petrified fright. 

He quickly whispers a spell under his breath, flexing his fingers against the metal and fighting hard against the iron constraints. He hears the soft clickings of his bindings as Markus stiffly approaches him and raises his hand to lord it over the twin’s head. Niles sees and feels the static thrum of power inside his palm, the sparking magic promising something sinister in nature as it reaches out to caress his skin. He feels the monsters behind him, previously bound, now set free by his diverted attention. His eyes land on Gavin again, how pale he looks, how hard he breathes. 

He remembers holding Gavin close, remembers being kissed silly in the bathroom on their weekends off, feels his skin itch as the blackness kept creeping higher and higher on his love’s cheeks. It’s licking right below his eye, about to entirely consume him as it works on spreading past his shin and towards his ankles. Niles is running out of time. 

Just as Markus parts his lips to speak, Niles erupts like a tidal wave held back for too long. 

The metal around his wrists melt and drip off of him like water as they burn off, and before the killing touch of the other witch ever got the chance to touch his skin- he was using his frustrations as a fuel. A loud announcement of, _”Moveantur!”_ enough to do the trick. 

Markus was instantly flung back, as was everyone else. The Coven leader thrown back hard enough into the wall that his skull made a loud crack, North being thrown right into Josh who still hovered over Tina. They both went sailing through one of the windows- the neighboring glass spraying everywhere as more monsters crashed into them. Claws went flying, striking companions as each and every soul got tossed and manhandled like miniature dolls by an angered child. Bodies collided quite harshly with the ceiling before being dropped like a scolding coal onto the hardwood floors, Tina was up and running towards Chloe the second the nails left her back and scalp. 

Niles rubbed his wrists, glaring pointedly at those that dared to rise again. Markus was quick to counter him before his hand could rise again. He’d never say it aloud but seeing the red pour from gashes across the leader’s forehead and nose was delightful. _”Meatus impeditus.”_

Tables and chairs flew- the decorations adorning the walls being pulled right off their hooks and went flying towards him, he became excruciatingly aware that the hooks had gone too when one embedded itself inside his side. Boy, did that get him thinking quickly as he pulled it out and threw a hex bag or two around. Acting as a missile under his curse, the bloodied item bounced until it nestled itself between the space of someone’s forehead, a sigil burning itself into the skin of it’s victim and keeping their body bound. The hex bags liquefied those vessels that hosted higher deities, leaving behind a few flashes of bright, white light and hushing the sounds of screaming with a blipping background noise. With all the ruckus, he failed to notice Simon lunging for his waist and he was bowed over. 

Pinned to the floor with an unhinged jaw full of sharper-than-razor teeth, Niles felt nails dig deeply into his shoulders. He cried out in pain, holding the blond by his chin and trying not to get his throat bitten out. 

_”Impetus Bestiarum.”_

An even number of monsters, including Simon looming over him, lost their breath. They grunted and yelled in agony as the spell worked under their skin, blood welling from the eyes and staining them bloodshot as the crimson trickled down like tears. Niles rolled the vampire off of him and watched as Markus got an eyeful of what was going on around him. The ones that remained on the other witch’s side appeared threatened and shocked, their aggression only growing while their brothers and sisters bellowed in clear waves of discomfort before it all mellowed out into sounds of growls and hisses. 

“Don’t do this Niles.” Markus commands, taking his defensive stance as his own people rose against him. His twinkling, mismatched eyes looked especially hurt whenever Simon himself snapped his jaws at his otherwise friend. 

“Dele malum hoc.” He ordered and could only listen and watch as everyone turned on one another. 

Tina herded Chloe away from the chaos, smart choice- one he should be making too. Markus was swarmed with monsters, fighting hard to subdue and not kill or too badly injury his people. His power was being used in copious amounts and Niles knew he had to be feeling the exertion. Now, however, that sort of thing couldn’t bother him anymore. He had his full powers, he could cast without slowing down or panting too heavily from the expelling energy leaving his frame. 

He was, however, painfully aware of how friends tore into one another. Teeth breaking past flesh, claws spraying blood down every wall, cries and screams of agony as families turned against one another. It was a horror show; one right out of a movie, some would say. But he had to be ignorant and pay it all no mind. Forced himself to be unbothered. 

As he neared Gavin’s bed, he scooped up his familiar and tucked him close into his chest. The witch pressed a quick kiss to his temple and tried not to panic at the lack of even a shuddering groan. Teeth dug into his hip, and Niles tightened his hold on Gavin while he screamed a spell to get the damn bastard off of him. 

He didn’t have time to feel bad for everything he was doing, for creating so many fights and resulting in so much blood loss. But this mattered. This was the only thing that mattered to him. The only person.

And this person was suffering, _tremendously._ He could tell with a glowing, exploring hand that Gavin had mere minutes left.

Niles, however, did not expect to run into a stockier build. As he stared up, he could only gasp as he was batted away like a fly and Gavin was ripped from his grip. He registered something hard slamming over his spine, stealing the wind from him and making pain bloom in every stretch of muscle he used to get back up. His nose leaked blood, as did a split in his lip and cheek from hitting and sliding over the broken bits of glass and getting under the feet and hands of other monsters squabbling. His gaze turned deadly as it locked with whoever fucking dared to intervene. 

Luther stood tall and had his shoulders squared, cradling Gavin’s body gently but holding him wrong. Niles knew that Gavin was in pain the second he saw his fingers twitch and spasm. 

Weight hung over his head, slamming him down coldly against the wood of the ground. He choked and sputtered, nails biting into the floorboards as he tried to fight against it and clear his head. 

He had seconds. Gavin’s breathing and heartbeat and aura was dimming, so quickly. Niles was growing panicked. 

“He’s dying, let me go! Please!” He shouted, eyes widening as Luther continued to force incantations into his skin like ink. As much as he blasted through them, more took place. 

_”Please!”_

Luther stared at him, almost sympathetically, at that. 

The gears turned fast in his head, sensing how he was about to lose the love of his life, having to spend all his years alone. His heart picked up, magic crashing against his flesh in a means to escape, a desperate sound escaping him as he kept trying to fight to get to his familiar. Crawling forth on his forearms despite the glass burning into his skin.

_”What if it was Alice!”_

He saw Luther tense. 

He felt the easings of the comprising force lift from him and he nearly fell back into the glass shards as he scrambled up and hobbled over. His breathing racked as he touched his love all over- feeling for a pulse, feeling for warmth, checking for breath, looking for the slightest movement to show he was still with them all in the land of the living. His eyes burned, his throat closing up on him as he found nothing on each list he looked over. 

The sounds in the background faded, motion seemed to cease as he took in the laxed expression of his familiar. He would say Gavin looked peaceful if it hadn’t been for the darkness crowding his natural beauty. He felt a flicker of life whenever his magic burned it’s way into his body and tried to strengthen it. Nurture it. Anything. Just to keep him going, just a little longer- until he figured this all out and fixed it.

Luther’s eyes glistened as he heard the erratic pleadings Niles rattled off on. 

It occurred to him then, that time was frozen. And he meant that literally. Nothing was happening. Everything a picture framed photo hung for the viewer to see. 

Against his permission, a fat tear slithered down his cheeks, unwelcomed. 

“Did you-..?” Niles whispers, scared for the answer. 

“You know what I am and you know what I do.” Luther starts softly, as if talking to someone dancing on the edge of a building top. “You know that I do not upset the natural order and that I am compliant to Death and no one else.”

“Reapers don’t get their hands dirty.” He finishes in a hush. 

“Correct.” Luther shifts, glancing around at the gore frozen for all to see. His eyes seem empathetic, glazing over as if he was the one under all the strain and pressure. 

“Then why have you stopped it?” He can’t help but whisper, fingers ghosting over the disheveled mop of curls Gavin has. 

“I can’t do much for you,” Luther begins. His tone is light and airy, leaving room for interjection should Niles feel the need. The option eases him but doesn’t stop the pain welling in his heart. “You’re creating more disasters then you’re hoping to fix, if you continue, I fear you’ll be lost.”

“I don’t care.” The witch mumbles through gritted teeth, jaw clenched tight as he holds on to the last shred of unyielding hope he has left. “Whatever he needs.”

“Do not misunderstand.” A firm look is thrown his way and he falls silent. “Listen closely, let things play out. Not all is lost to you.”

Niles narrows his eyes, brain working fast to uncover the meaning behind the vaguely spoken words. Reapers had their own supernatural abilities, yes, but they almost never used them outside of their jobs. “You want me to let Gavin die?”

“Dying isn’t eternal, you of all people know that.” 

Gavin is handed over, presented and held like a prized artifact being transferred to a museum. Niles doesn’t like the implications of his words, wipes at the blood dripping down his chin and from the cut in his brow. He can heal himself later. 

Luther watches the exchange, sees how Niles’ hands shake as they reach out and clutch helplessly onto his familiar. His eyes betray him again, showing more emotion than what he wishes to express and he’s sniffling and blinking quickly to dislodge any evidence of his sudden grief. Gavin’s not very warm in his arms, and Niles tucks him in close again and fights back the sobs that’s trying to leave his chest. The reaper seems to understand: starring impassively and giving him the time to come to terms with what he’s asked of the witch. Luther has to be used to this sort of thing, seeing as his very job is to do exactly this, yet without being oddly helpful. Niles basks in the moment he’s allowed to have, grateful to find a second’s peace within the destruction. 

“Let me walk away from this, for the minute we have left.” Against his will his voice wavers, thick and choppy as his breathing falters. 

The reaper doesn’t say a word and Niles takes that as his cue. 

He walks out the fractured doors, out into the hallway and down the stairs, skirting around the kitchen until he made it to the couch. There’s still a few fading paw prints and Niles can’t help but chuckle a bittersweet tune as he settles himself down. His back aligns with the armrest and he pulls Gavin flush against him as he reclines and just holds onto the familiar. This position brings back too many haunting memories; how amazing the hours into the afternoon were when they could tangle together and get lost in one another. The harsh stinging inside his core buzzing angrily behind his eyes and he nuzzles his head into the crook of Gavin’s neck.

The commotion upstairs continues, pounding heavily at the floorboards and shakes the walls. The foundation of the home rumbles with each slam of a body or yowl of a monster. Niles has no wish to repair much at the moment, watching as his familiar’s chest stutters and attempts to rise. It barely goes up before it falls and takes twice as long to rise again. He’s out of time- he can feel Gavin’s life force ease out of his body and leave behind a cold and empty shell in its place. 

He swallows down the lump in his throat, chokes as it refuses to go down, and hiccups as he hunched back down over his love. The pain he feels doesn’t even compare to the entrapment from Amanda, that fear and helplessness. His physical pains; the hook that stabbed between his ribs, the blood from his nose and lip throbbing, stinging from his split brow, and the bruising along his spine. He has cuts lingering on his forearms and biceps that he doesn’t care to heal over in the moment. The physical is a good distraction from the mounting agony inside his heart- and Niles knows if his injuries weren’t there then he’d make some himself. It’s dark and it’s insanely idiotic, but when he wears his displeasures on his sleeve it’s a bit easier to dismiss instead of the suffocating suffering in endless silence. 

It’s hard to comprehend it. The loss.

Never seeing Gavin again, never holding him again. Never hearing his snarky laugh or stupid puns, never being able to ruffle his hair or poke and tease his inflated ego. No long morning walks, no reconciliation, no good mornings or good nights. No one can even grate on his nerves like Gavin. No one to bury so deep under his skin as quickly, no one to plague his mind and keep him up at night. There wasn’t a single person out there that had his eyes: that could compare to the bullshit he spewed. The nagging remarks, sassy retaliations. The compliments to make him blush and the whispered delights that made him hot and bothered in the most hungry way. 

There’s no watching the sunset together, there’s no seeing it rise together. 

There’s not gonna be anything to wake up to in the kitchen- coffee in contrast to his tea. Paws and teeth marks on furniture and claw marks on his floors, no fur anywhere and clothes littering the floors. No empty bowls or dishes in the sink for him to clean up with another person. No games or challenges during breakfast or dinner or chores. No extra clothes to wash, not another toothbrush in his bathroom, no remaining hairs from a morning shave. 

No more Gavin. 

Something in him breaks at the realization. 

He lets out a heart wrenching sob, the sound of a man who’s lost everything dear, and cries as loudly and as unashamed as he dares into the corpse he loved with his entire soul. 

If he were paying more attention, maybe he would’ve noticed the purple light trailing up Gavin’s leg and hiking towards his chest. Maybe he would’ve seen how it seemed to expand and explode and fade slowly away. Perhaps Niles would’ve seen how the dark disease retracted from its positions, receding from the skin all the way until it couldn’t be detected any more. The sickening chill to his skin blooming into warmth, the subtle movement of his chest as he breathed new air.

He didn’t notice because he was too busy clutching Gavin tightly and pulling him as close as can be. His shoulders shook with the weight of his cries, his face quickly growing wet from the overflowing amount of tears. 

But what shocked him, what made him take a momentary pause in his grieving, was when strong arms wrapped around him and fingers laced and curled in his mussled hair. 

The familiarity of it, the way those fingers moved and danced through his locks was enough. Was something he needlessly memorized in the nights were they laid after being thoroughly exhausted- whether it being the work day or from each other- and those same fingers filtered through his dark hair and tousled it around in a calming and soothing manner. Effectively pulling him to sleep and picking him apart until he was a boneless mess and drifting off into sleep. 

His breath catches in his throat as he jets up. 

His heart thunders loud and his magic roars inside his head as his wet steely blues meet a forest green laced with worry and concern. 

Gavin looks at him.

_Gavin isn’t dead._

How sweet it was to kiss his lips again, to feel the warmth soak through his clothes, to simply _hold him_ in his arms again and feel how utterly alive he was. Niles fears his emotions and how they bubble up even more, how those tears stream down his cheeks unabashedly as he peppers more and more kisses any and everywhere he can.

"Gavin!" He smiles, "You're okay."

And the familiar reacts as stiff as he had when he was a corpse. Not at all kissing back or moving an inch- and that worried him. 

For a second he looks, swimming in his concern that he’d hurt the other, before he realized just exactly where they’d left off. 

“I’m so sorry. For everything,” Niles starts. His voice breaks as the reality sets in. 

He’d been so scared and afraid of losing Gavin that he hadn’t accounted for him never wanting his affections in the first place. That pain, smothering him a few seconds prior to his familiar’s revival, slammed back into him and just about broke his spirit. 

“I never meant what I said. Please, believe me. I’m so sorry I got you roped into everything, I’m fucking sorry I couldn’t fix it. I tried- believe me, I really tried and I know there is no simple excuse out there to- “

“Niles.” 

And he clamps his jaws shut. Blinking away tears that spill regardless as he simply takes in the voice he thought he’d never hear again. 

“It’s okay.” Gavin whispers, deaf to the fighting around them. “I forgive you.”

And maybe he could live with himself. 

“I wasn’t awake but I was still aware, I heard you. All those nights and all those stupid mornings you bummed off instead of spending at the shop.” Gavin’s smile came easy and Niles feels heat rise to his cheeks as he looks at him. The beautiful bastard that he is. 

“I’m sorry.” He mutters dumbly.

“You can’t always fix everything yourself, you arrogant prick.” Though his voice is soft and light, there is a little accusation to it. And a hint of fondness. As hidden as it was. “And your mess is my mess. We’re going to fix this shit together. And you can’t tell me no.”

“Okay,” Niles agrees. Too high off the idea that he and Gavin were going to be okay. That there was a future out there somewhere for them. 

“Now, let’s settle all this fighting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Mors Lumine._ \- Niles didn’t finish the spell but it translates to “Death Lights.” an incinerating spell powerful enough to kill reapers!
> 
>  _Defendatur_ \- Defend me
> 
>  _Permitte telum._ \- Disarming spell
> 
>  _Manete._ \- “Stay.”
> 
>  _Hal. Muth fah._ \- Binding spell
> 
>  _Moveantur_ \- “Move them”
> 
>  _Meatus Impeditus._ \- “Pathways Blocked.”
> 
>  _Impetus Bestiarum_ \- “Attacks Of Beasts”
> 
>  _Dele malum hac_ \- “Destroy the evil ones.”
> 
> As always let me know your thoughts, theories, or if you want more!!
> 
> I enjoy each and every comment, reading them always brings a smile to my face. <3

**Author's Note:**

> just a set up, next chapter should be more fullfilling 
> 
> hopefully I'm not doing too much damage with all of this angst but I swear there's purpose to it  
> it makes the reunion all the more sweeter


End file.
